How to Reset a Forgotten Mac Password

You can reset a forgotten Mac login password through macOS Recovery, your Apple ID, or another administrator account. Start with the option shown on the Mac login screen because it is usually the most direct route and does not erase personal files.

A login password unlocks a local user account on the Mac; it may differ from the password used for your Apple ID. Before starting a Mac password reset, connect the Mac to power and note the exact account name.

What are the ways to reset a Mac password?

The available method depends on how the Mac was configured, whether it uses Apple silicon or an Intel processor, and which recovery choices appear on screen.

• Apple ID: Use the reset message on the login screen if the Mac account was linked to an Apple ID.
• macOS Recovery: Start the built-in recovery environment and use its password-reset assistant.
• Another administrator: Sign in to a different administrator account on the same Mac and change the locked account’s password.

If you are asking “how do I reset Mac” or “how to reset my Mac,” distinguish a password reset from resetting the entire computer. To unlock a Mac, change only the login password; do not erase the Mac unless every recovery option has failed and the consequences are understood.

How do you reset a Mac password in macOS Recovery?

macOS Recovery is a built-in set of tools that runs separately from the normal desktop. The startup method differs between Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

1. Shut down the Mac completely.
2. On a Mac with Apple silicon, press and hold the power button until startup options appear. Select Options, then Continue.
3. On an Intel Mac, turn it on and immediately hold Command-R until a startup screen appears.
4. If asked, select a user whose password you know. If no password is known, look for the available recovery or forgotten-password choice.
5. In Recovery, follow the password-reset option shown. If no reset assistant appears, open Utilities, choose Terminal, type resetpassword, and press Return.
6. Select the startup disk and locked user account when prompted. Enter and confirm a new password, and add a useful hint if offered.
7. Restart the Mac and sign in with the new password.

The exact screens and labels can vary. If Recovery asks for a FileVault recovery key or Apple ID credentials, use the recovery information connected to that Mac rather than repeatedly guessing.

How do you reset a Mac password with your Apple ID?

After several incorrect password attempts, the login screen may offer a message for resetting the Mac password with an Apple ID. This option appears only when the account and security settings support it.

1. Select the reset message or the question-mark icon beside the password field.
2. Choose the option to reset using the Apple ID linked to the Mac account.
3. Enter the requested Apple ID credentials and complete any identity check displayed on a trusted device.
4. Select the locked Mac account, create a new login password, and restart if prompted.

If the Apple ID option never appears, stop making repeated guesses and use macOS Recovery. An Apple ID password and a Mac login password are separate credentials, so changing one does not automatically change the other.

How can another administrator reset a Mac password?

A second administrator account can reset the password for a standard account or another account when macOS permits it. The administrator does not need the forgotten password.

1. Sign in to the working administrator account.
2. Open System Settings or System Preferences, then open Users & Groups.
3. Unlock the settings or authenticate with the administrator password if requested.
4. Select the locked user and choose the available password-reset control.
5. Set a new password and hint, sign out, and test the locked account.

This method changes the account login password but does not reveal the old one. If no other administrator account exists, use Recovery or the Apple ID choice instead.

Can you unlock a Mac without losing data?

Resetting a Mac login password normally preserves files in the user account. Using Apple ID, macOS Recovery, or another administrator is not the same as erasing the startup disk.

The login keychain may not unlock after an administrator or Recovery reset because it is encrypted with the old password. A keychain stores saved website passwords, network credentials, and other secrets. If you remember the old password, use it when macOS asks to unlock the existing keychain; otherwise, macOS may offer to create a new keychain, and previously stored secrets may no longer be available.

FileVault encrypts the Mac’s startup disk. When FileVault is enabled, access may require an authorized account, an Apple ID recovery option, or the FileVault recovery key. A password reset cannot bypass FileVault encryption, and losing every authorized credential or recovery key can make encrypted files inaccessible.

What should you do if no Mac password reset method works?

Check Caps Lock, keyboard layout, and the selected user before assuming the password is wrong. Then restart and try macOS Recovery again, carefully choosing the correct startup disk and account.

If the Mac requests credentials you do not have, contact official Apple Support and be ready to provide device details and proof of ownership. Support can explain legitimate recovery choices, but it cannot simply bypass FileVault encryption.

Reinstalling macOS from Recovery may repair system software without intentionally deleting personal files, but it is not a guaranteed password-recovery method. Back up accessible data first when possible. Erasing the Mac and reinstalling macOS removes local data and should be considered only as a final measure when account recovery has failed and data loss is acceptable.

What should you do after signing back in?

1. Test the new Mac password by locking the screen and signing in again.
2. Respond to any keychain message. Enter the old password if known, or create a new login keychain if the old one cannot be unlocked.
3. Confirm that the correct Apple ID is connected to the Mac account and that trusted-device information is current.
4. Verify FileVault recovery settings and store the recovery key somewhere separate from the Mac if one is provided.
5. Save the new password in a trusted password manager or another secure place that you can reach while locked out.

These checks complete the Mac reset-password process and reduce the chance of another lockout.